New Delhi:
The government has so far resolutely said its Railway Minister Pawan Bansal, smeared by a corruption scandal, will not resign. But there is fresh trouble for Mr Bansal as more details emerge about the CBI's two-month investigation that led to the arrest of an official on his way to allegedly bribe Mr Bansal's nephew for a plum Railways posting four days ago.
There is intense speculation now on whether the minister will be questioned by the CBI; sources in the agency said they have gathered "substantial evidence" after intercepting and recording over a 1000 phone calls.
Mr Bansal's nephew, Vijay Singla, and Mahesh Kumar, the man who was allegedly caught with Rs 90 lakh meant as bribe are in custody. An associate, an industrialist named Ajay Garg, surrendered in a Delhi court today.
Rs 90 lakh, alleges the CBI, was only part of a Rs 10-crore payoff that was to have secured for Mahesh Kumar, a member (staff) of the railway board, a transfer as member (electrical), a position with the power to transfer people and award contracts of signal and telecom.
The CBI, sources said, now wants to find out where the money came from and who in the Railways was meant to have influenced the posting for Mr Kumar, now suspended. And who all would have shared the alleged bribe. The agency raided Mahesh Kumar's residence in Mumbai today. Press Trust of India reported that it recovered property documents and diamond jewellery of "substantial value".
Three days after the arrest of Mr Singla and Mr Kumar, a federation of rail officers has written to the Cabinet Secretary suggesting that the Mahesh Kumar incident is not an exception. The three-page letter, which NDTV has accessed, alleges that rules are changed for appointments and promotions in the railways and senior positions are kept vacant for long durations deliberately.
The BJP wants Mr Bansal to resign. It has been stalling Parliament and has staged protests outside the minister's homes in Delhi and Chandigarh.
The minister has reportedly told the senior-most members of the Congress, including the Prime Minister, that he has no business links with his nephew. The PM has supported him and Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, also caught in scandal, so far, but many Congress leaders have reportedly suggested that their continuing is increasingly untenable.
There is intense speculation now on whether the minister will be questioned by the CBI; sources in the agency said they have gathered "substantial evidence" after intercepting and recording over a 1000 phone calls.
Mr Bansal's nephew, Vijay Singla, and Mahesh Kumar, the man who was allegedly caught with Rs 90 lakh meant as bribe are in custody. An associate, an industrialist named Ajay Garg, surrendered in a Delhi court today.
Rs 90 lakh, alleges the CBI, was only part of a Rs 10-crore payoff that was to have secured for Mahesh Kumar, a member (staff) of the railway board, a transfer as member (electrical), a position with the power to transfer people and award contracts of signal and telecom.
The CBI, sources said, now wants to find out where the money came from and who in the Railways was meant to have influenced the posting for Mr Kumar, now suspended. And who all would have shared the alleged bribe. The agency raided Mahesh Kumar's residence in Mumbai today. Press Trust of India reported that it recovered property documents and diamond jewellery of "substantial value".
Three days after the arrest of Mr Singla and Mr Kumar, a federation of rail officers has written to the Cabinet Secretary suggesting that the Mahesh Kumar incident is not an exception. The three-page letter, which NDTV has accessed, alleges that rules are changed for appointments and promotions in the railways and senior positions are kept vacant for long durations deliberately.
The BJP wants Mr Bansal to resign. It has been stalling Parliament and has staged protests outside the minister's homes in Delhi and Chandigarh.
The minister has reportedly told the senior-most members of the Congress, including the Prime Minister, that he has no business links with his nephew. The PM has supported him and Law Minister Ashwani Kumar, also caught in scandal, so far, but many Congress leaders have reportedly suggested that their continuing is increasingly untenable.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
